Ready Player One Review

In my heart, I feel the 5 stars, but I know on paper, in reality, it isn’t perfect. It was what I needed in my life right about now. Just a movie to keep me smiling the whole time.

Where do I start with this movie? I think in terms of comparing to the book, this movie did so much more than I had any idea that it could. They mixed things up and only glanced over some things, but overall I got way more than I was expecting. The Easter Eggs were not super distracting and overpowering throughout the movie. I felt like I was watching a movie filmed in my home city, where if I see a park or building I recognize I am filled with excitement. Every time a character popped up that I love, I would be happy but not get derailed from the driving action in the scene. I think the CGI is super impressive, I've seen others online bashing it, which I do not understand at all. It felt like a video game, using a style I don't think I have ever really seen before. I think the acting was all great, but Mark Rylance in particular really elevated James Halliday's character from his book counterpart. He nailed the awkward super genius, didn't feel like some overplayed nerd character or some average movie genius. He just felt like the kid at the lunch table that everyone knew was smart, but just didn't really fit in.

Then there was Wade Watts. There isn't anything particularly extraordinary about him, but it felt like that could actually be me. Black people look at Black Panther and have a hero, but I've never looked at Captain America and felt that I could be him. Wade is just a kid who loves movies, tv, and video games that can use that knowledge to save the world, and I relate to that way more than bashing people with a shield.

The soundtrack is stellar, not just the 80s songs they use, but the actual composed music is so great at complimenting the scenes playing alongside. There wasn't a stand out main theme from what I could tell, which is a shame because everything else worked so well.
This felt like a classic 80s movie with a modern twist to me, and I think that is exactly what Speilberg intended. This is the first modern action movie Speilberg has directed since Indy 4, and man I can not wait to see more. The action is so expertly cut together and easy to follow, and isn't afraid to take its time with long one takes. It helps when the entire screen is CGI, but still it has that flavor I haven't seen in a long time.

I'm sure there is more I am forgetting, but I don't think I'll forget this movie for a very long time.

Final Score 10/10